Military Analyst: Tanker Deal Jeopardizes National Security

[Matt Molnar]

MSNBC:

Buying French tankers a poor decision
By Lt. Col. Rick Francona
Military analyst
MSNBC
updated 6:09 p.m. ET, Tues., March. 4, 2008

[snip]

When asked about the foreign nature of the contract, General Arthur Lichte, commander of Air Mobility Command, operator of the USAF refueling fleet, bristled: “This is an American tanker. It’s flown by American airmen. It has a big American flag on the tail, and every day, it’ll be out there saving American lives.”

Nice try, general. Painting an American flag on the tail of an aircraft does not make it an American tanker. It makes it a French tanker with an American flag on the tail.

[snip]

Relying on foreign suppliers of military equipment is not in our national security interests. What if France decides it does not support or condone a future American military operation somewhere in the world and prohibits French companies from supplying parts to the U.S. armed forces? The new tanker will be the backbone of the American refueling fleet for the next half century. We cannot predict the long-term political situations in other countries that could affect our access to spare parts. [Full article]

[PhilDernerJr]

France not support a military action of ours?! No way.

France has always been a strong battle-buddy of ours! :mrgreen:

[adam613]

And this is coming from MSNBC!

[Matt Molnar]

WHY DOES THE AIR FORCE HATE FREEDOM?

[cancidas]

the media needs to learn when to shut up already, a decision has been made and it's not very likely that it's going to be reversed. i think that boeing builds a superior airplane, but the USAF doesn't. thier opinion matters a whole lot more than mine.

the airplane is a proven design. who cares where it's built, it's going to fly and pump gas. it's not an AWACS that's going to be packed full of secret technology which we're going to "trust" someone to install for us. no, it's a flying gas stations. besides, china found out more about our systems when they had oen of our P-3s a few years ago...

[Matt Molnar]

I'd say there may actually be a chance that it is reversed, being that Congress has not yet appropriated funds to actually purchase the planes.